Missile launcher toy



Dec. 13, 1960 Filed Jan. 22, 1959 S. NOBLE MISSILE LAUNCHER TOY 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR SID NOBLE BYMMM ATTORNEYS Dec. 13, 1960 s. NOBLE MISSILE LAUNCHER TOY 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 22, 1959 INVENTOR SID NOBLE ATTORNEYS.

Filed Jan. 22, 1959 S. NOBLE MISSILE LAUNCHER TOY 3 Sheets-Sheet I5 INVENTOR SID NOBLE ATTORNEYS,

lVIISSILE LAUNCHER TOY Sid Noble, Levittown, N.Y., assignor to Ideal Toy Corporation, Hollis, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Jan. 22, 1959, Ser. No. 788,340

Claims. (Cl. 124-26) This invention relates generally to toy devices, and is especially concerned with a toy device for launching missiles.

It is one object of the present invention to provide a toy device of the type described which accurately simulates, both in appearance and operation, an actual missile launcher, and which is further capable of being easily operated by small children, with complete safety and little or no instruction.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a simulated missile launcher having the advantageous characteristics mentioned in the preceding paragraphs, wherein motion of the missile support or bed to achieve the desired range of trajectory accurately simulates that of an actual missile support, and further wherein loading of a missile on the simulated support and firing of the missile are readily executed by small children to provide a highly realistic, educational and entertaining toy.

The instant invention further contemplates the provision of novel, highly simplified, and relatively inexpensive mechanisms for effecting range adjustment of a simulated missile launcher, and loading and firing thereof.

It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide a unique construction in a simulated missile launcher wherein a battery or plurality of missile supports or beds are movable in sequential relation with respect -to each other to achieve a highly attractive operative result.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a simulated missile launching device of the type described which is extremely simple in construction, durable and reliable in use, and which can be economically manufactured for sale at a reasonable price.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope .will be in dicated by the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view showing a simulated missile launcher of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view showing the missile launcher of Fig. l, with certain elements shown in dotand-dash outline in an alternative position;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevational view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional elevational view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

The missile launcher, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, includes a mobile base or carrier movably mounted on a pair of ground engageable wheels 11, at opposite sides of the carrier and adjacent to the forward end thereof. Any suitable hitch or towing means 12 may be provided at opposite ends of the base or carrier to facilitate mobility est, Patented Dec. 13, 1960 thereof, the rearward hitch means serving to support the carrier in its normal horizontal disposition during mobility. In order to support the base or carrier 10 in its generally horizontally disposition when immobilized or detached from a towing unit, there is provided a generally U-shaped prop or strut 13 arranged to extend laterally beneath the rearward region of the base 10 and having the upper end regions of its legs connected to the base for rotation about a generally horizontal laterally extending axis. Thus, the U-shaped prop 13 is swingable between its operative depending condition of Figs. 2 and 4,

and an inoperative generally horizontal condition closely underlying the base. Of course, in its operative condition, the prop 13 has its lower region in supporting engagement with a ground surface. Exteriorly of the base 10, on one side thereof, is shown a crank 14 rigidly connected to the pivotal U-shaped prop 13 and rotatable with the latter between the solid and dot-aud-dash outline positions of Fig. 2. In the solid line position of Fig. 2, the crank or operating arm 14 is releasably retained between a pair of vertically spaced lugs 15 and 16 projecting laterally outward from the adjacent side of the base 10. However, the crank or arm 14 is resiliently deflectable to move out of its retained position between the lugs 15 and 16 for swinging upward movement to its phantom position, thereby elevating or retracting the prop 13.

The base 10 is provided in its forward region with a platform 18 supporting a stanchion 19; and, the rearward region of the base 10 is cut away to define a well or opening 20, see Fig. 4.

On opposite sides of the well 20, the base 10 is provided with apair of upstanding journal supports or pedestals 22 and 23, respectively. That is, the upstanding pedestals 22 and 23 are spaced laterally apart from each other on opposite sides of the well opening 20. Extending generally horizontally and laterally between upper regions of the pedestals 22 and 23 is a shaft 24 having its opposite ends journaled in the respective pedestals. Outward of the pedestal 23, adjacent to the upper region thereof, and rigidily connected to the adjacent end of shaft 24, is a manually actuable crank 25 for effecting rotation of the shaft. A pinion 26 is carried by the shaft 24 for rotation therewith interiorly of the pedestal 23.

Spaced below and slightly forward of the shaft 24 is located a generally horizontal, laterally disposed crank shaft 28, which has its opposite ends journaled in respective pedestals 22 and 23. The crank shaft 28 may consist of an integral rod bent to define a plurality of crank pins 29 extending longitudinally of the crank shaft, spaced radially from the axis thereof and angularly spaced apart from each other about the crank shaft axis. In the illustrated embodiment three crank pins 29 are shownspaced apart. Interiorly of the pedestal 23 and in meshing engagement with the pinion 26 is a gear 30, which is .carried by the adjacent end of the crank shaft 28 for rotation therewith. Thus, manual rotation of the crank 25 effects rotation of the crank shaft 28 through the pinion 26 and gear 20.

A plurality of similar or identical missile supports, each generally designated 32, are arranged in side by side relation extending longitudinally of the .base It and each located over a respective crank pin 29, see Fig. 4. Each missile support 32 includes an elongate, generally flat missile supporting element, bed or guide 33, which may have ribs or other reinforcing structure 64 on its under side. The upper surface of each bed 33 is substantially planar and has its longitudinal side edges 31 beveledto face upward and outward. At the rearward end of each generally flat support element or guide 33, and preferably formed integral therewith, is an upstanding generally hollow enclosure or bulkhead 35. Each bulkhead 35 includes a top wall 36, front and rear walls 37 and 38 respectively depending from the forward and rearward regions of the top wall, and a pair of laterally spaced side walls 39 depending from opposite sides of the top wall and extending forwardly and rearwardly between the front and back walls. In addition, the side walls 39 include portions 40 extending downward beyond the front and rear walls between the pedestals 22 and 23. Each pair of depending side wall portions 40 rotatably receive the journal shaft 24 to pivotally mount its respective support 32 for swinging up and down movement of the guide element 33. Extending laterally between the depending side wall portions 40, and spaced rearward behind and below the rear wall 38, is a generally vertically disposed lateral connecting a wall 41. As best seen in Fig. 3, the front bulkhead wall l 37 extends upward generally normal to the planar guide 33, and thence inclines rearward, as at 42 toward the upper bulkhead wall 36. A generally vertically extending slot 43 is formed in the front wall 37 medially between the upper and lower ends thereof, and an additional generally vertical slot 44 is formed in the back wall 38 extending from a point spaced above the lower end of the back wall upward through the top wall 35. Also, a generally vertical slot or opening 45 is formed in the front wall 37, extending downward from a point spaced below the slot 43 through the lower end of the front wall. Also, a generally vertical slot 46 is formed in the rear wall 38 extending downward from a point spaced below the slot 41 and through the lower end of the rear wall.

Circumposed about the journal shaft 24 between adjacent pairs of missile supports 32, and between the pedestals 22 and 23 and adjacent missile supports are preferably located spacer tubes 49, which serve to locate the missile supports laterally in position over their respective crank pins 29. Depending rigidly from one side wall portion 40 of each bulkhead 35 is an extension member or plate 50 formed vw'th a through slot '51 disposed generally radially of the journal shaft 24. More particularly, the slot 51 of each extension member 50 extends from its inner end spaced from the journal shaft 24 generally radially outward and downward away from the latter and opens through its outer end. Each of the slots 51 slidably receives a respective crank pin 29 of the crank shaft 28, so that upon crank shaft rotation the crank pins thereof each elfect swinging up and down movement of its respective support 32 about the axis of journal shaft 24. Further, upon counterclockwise crank rotation, as viewed in Fig. 3, the crank pins 29 in the slots 51 will efiect relatively quick upward swinging movement of their supports 32 and relatively slow downward swinging movement thereof, having relative dwells at the upper and lower extremities of support movement. As the crank pins 29 are angularly spaced apart 120 from each other about the axis of the crank shaft 28, it is apparent that the supports 32 will swing up and down simultaneously but in a timed sequential relationship to provide an attractive and realistic relative motion of the supports accurately simulating that of an actual battery of missile supports.

Arranged longitudinally on each support 32 in the rearward region thereof is an elongate member, rod or bolt 55 which extends forwardly and rearwardly, loosely through the respective bulkhead 35. As best seen in Fig. 3, each bolt 55 extends through its respective bulkhead 35, passing forwardly through the front bulkhead wall slot 43 and rearwardly through the rear bulkhead wall slot 44, and is longitudinally slidable in the bulkhead slots. On the rear end of each bolt 55, rearward of the rear bulkhead wall 38, is an enlargement or head 56 of greater width than the bulkhead slot 44, while an enlargement or washer plate 57 is secured on the forward end of each bolt 55, as by a nut 58, or other suitable securing means. The enlargement 57 on the forward end of each bolt 55 is spaced considerably forward of the adjacent support bulkhead 35.

Associated with each missile support 32 is an operating element, generally designated 60, which may be formed '4 of relatively stifi strip material bent to define an upstanding arm 61 located just forward of the respective bulkhead 35 and having a through aperture or opening 62 loosely receiving the adjacent, intermediate region of the bolt 55. Thus, the arm 61 extends generally vertically, transversely of the bolt 55. On the upper end of the arm 61, projecting generally forward therefrom is a hook or catch 63 which has on its forward end a depending lip 64, so that the hook or catch faces generally downward toward the missile launching surface or bed 33. The strip material of the operating element 66 is bent to extend generally rearward, as at 65 loosely through the front bulkhead wall slot 4-5, and rearward beyond the rear bulkhead wall 38 loosely through slot 46 thereof. Rearward of the bulkhead 35, the strip portion 65 is bent to extend upward, as at 66 rearward of the rear bolt end head 56, and thence generally horizontally rearward to define a finger piece 67. The strip portions 65, 66 and 67 may be considered as defining an actuating member of the operating element 60.

Extending helically about the forward region of the bolt 55 and interposed between the forward end enlargement 57 and the upstanding arm 61 is a coil compression spring or resilient propulsion member 70. The spring or propulsion member 70 has its forward and rearward ends in bearing engagement, respectively, with the enlargement 57 and the forward face of the arm 61, so as to resiliently urge the bolt 55 forward toward a limiting position with the rear end head 56 engaging the rear bulkhead wall 38.

A missile is generally designated 72 and may be of elongate configuration having a generally tubular body 73 and provided on its rearward end region with a plurality of external guide fins 74 extending longitudinally of the missile body 73 and arranged in angularly spaced relation thereabout projecting generally radially therefrom. It will be noted that the rearward end of the missile body 73 is open, as at 75, while an internal abutment or engagement shoulder 76 is formed in the missile body spaced from and facing toward the rearward end thereof. Exteriorly the missile body 73 is provided in its rearward region, spaced between the rearward end and internal shoulder 76, with an external abutment or shoulder 77. The external shoulder 77 is spaced from the rear missile end 75 a distance slightly less than the forwardly and rearwardly extending length of the hook 63, for purposes appearing presently.

In loading a missile 72 on a missile support 32, the missile body 73 is manged longitudinally of the missile bed 33, forward of and in alignment with the bolt 55, with a pair of guide fins 74 engaging the beveled bed edges 31. In this condition, the spring 50 may be under slight compression between the bolt end enlargement S7 and the arm 61 of the operating element 60, so that the operating element may not swing gravitationally clockwise. The rearward end region of the missile body 73 is then engaged about the forward region of the bolt 55 and the spring 70 to bring the enlargement 57 into abutting engagement with the shoulder 76. Continued rearward movement of the missile body 73 causes the rearward end of spring 70 to bear against the forward face of arm 61, compressing the spring and moving the arm against the front wall 37 of the bulkhead 35, while simultaneously swinging the arm counterclockwise to lower the hook 63. During this procedure the rearward region of the missile body 73 rearward of the shoulder 64, has been engaged beneath the hook 63, so that upon release of the missile body, the spring 70 resiliently urges the latter forward and the body is retained in position by engagement of the lip 64 with the shoulder 77. This is the condition illustrated in Fig. 3.

In order to fire the missile 72, it is only necessary to manually depress the finger piece 67 of the actuating member 65, 66 and 67 sufiiciently to swing the operating element 60 slightly clockwise about its intersection with the bolt 55 and elevate the book 63 to release the same from its holding engagement with the shoulder 77. The

spring 70 is then free to expand and propel the missile forward, the forward propulsion of the latter being guided both by the spring and by sliding engagement of the fins 74 with the side edges 31 of the missile bed 33.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the present invention provides a toy missile launching device and missile therefor which fully accomplish their intended objects and are well adapted to meet practical conditions of manufacture and use.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a simulated missile launcher, a missile support, an upstanding bulkhead at the rearward region of said support, a forwardly and rearwardly extending bolt having a forward end enlargement and carried by said bulkhead for longitudinal shifting movement to extend and retract the forward bolt end, an arm located in front of said bulkhead extending transversely of and loosely receiving an intermediate region of said bolt, a forwardly projecting hook on one end of said arm, an actuating member extending rearwardly from the other end of said arm loosely through and rearward beyond said bulkhead, said arm and hook being swingable together about the received region of said bolt by manual swinging of said actuating member, a coil compression spring circumposed about the forward region of said bolt having its forward and rearward ends located for respective bearing engagement with said forward bolt enlargement and said arm to resiliently bias said bolt toward its forwardly extended condition and yieldably hold said arm and hook in a rest position of its swinging movement, a missile adapted to be positioned on said support in bearing engagement with said bolt enlargement to retract said bolt, and an external shoulder on said missile engageable with said hook in the rest position of the latter to retain said missile in position on said support and releasable from said hook upon swinging movement of the latter.

2. A simulated missile launcher according to claim 1, in combination with external fins on said missile engageable with opposite sides of said support for guiding propulsion of said missile.

3. A simulated missile launcher according to claim 1, said arm being disposed generally vertically with said hook and actuating member respectively extending from the upper and lower ends of said arm, whereby said hook is swingable to release said shoulder upon depression of said actuating member.

4. A simulated missile launcher comprising a base, a pair of upstanding laterally spaced pedestals on said base, a journal shaft extending laterally between the upper regions of said pedestals, at least one missile support carried by said journal shaft for up and down swinging movement about the axis thereof, said missile support extending generally forwardly of said journal shaft and being movable between a generally horizontal limit position and an upwardly tilted limit position, said missile support being unsupported except by said journal shaft, a crank shaft extending laterally between and journaled in said pedestals and spaced from said journal shaft, an extension on said missile support extending generally toward said crank shaft and having a slot extending generally radially with respect to said journal shaft and slidably receiving a crank pin of said crank shaft for effecting up and down swinging movement of said support upon rotation of said crank shaft, said crank pin being located substantially in one of its limit positions within said slot corresponding to each of the respective limit positions of said missile support, whereby said crank pin effects a relative dwell at each of the extreme positions of movement of said support, manually actuable means for rotating said crank shaft, resilient propulsion means on said support, and releasable catch means for retaining a missile on said support against the force of said propulsion means and releasing said missile forpropulsion by said propulsion means.

5. In a simulated missile launcher, a missile support, an upstanding bulkhead at the rearward region of said support, a forwardly and rearwardly extending bolt having a forward end enlargement and carried by said bulkhead for longitudinal shifting movement to extend and retract the forward bolt end, an arm located in front of said bulkhead extending transversely of and loosely receiving an intermediate region of said bolt, a forwardly projecting hook on one end of said arm an actuating member extending rearwardly from the other end of said arm loosely through and rearward beyond said bulkhead, said arm and book being swingable together about the received region of said bolt by manual swinging of said actuating member, a coil compression spring circumposed about the forward region of said bolt having its forward and rearward ends located for respective bearing engagement with said forward bolt enlargement and said arm to resiliently bias said bolt toward its forwardly extended condition and yieldably hold said arm and hook in a rest position of its swinging movement, a missile adapted to be positioned on said support in bearing engagement with said bolt enlargement to retract said bolt, said missile comprising an elongate body adapted to extend forwardly and rearwardly of said support and having its rearward end open for receiving said bolt end enlargement, and a rearwardly facing element in said body engageable with said bolt end enlargement to retract the latter.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 133,930 Ferrant Dec. 17, 1872 2,210,079 Hendrich Aug. 6, 1940 2,426,437 Cole et al. Aug. 26, 1947 2,551,109 Fornary May 1, 1951 2,563,969 Skinner Aug. 14, 1951 2,888,004 Steiner May 26, 1959 

